Harnesses Foursquare to show students the best places globally in which to study using iOS and Android
Pearson, the global learning company, today launched a new free app to help students find more productive places to study. The iOS and Android app uses location app Foursquare's data plus students' tips to reveal the best and most inspiring study locations around their universities and cities.
Pearson's new community app, called Inspired Locations of Learning, allows university students and staff to share their favourite places for study, often complemented with the best coffee and Wi-Fi on hand.
Finding the right spot to study is always a challenge for university students, with libraries often overcrowded and campuses full of distractions. Research by the University of Salford in the UK has shown that factors in the physical study environment such as noise, light and air quality can affect academic progress over a year by as much as 25%.
So far, Pearson has listed over 200 such spots at universities in the US, UK, India and Indonesia, and is now looking for students to add their own global favourites.
As well as finding better places to study, the first 1,000 students who sign up to the free app will have a school textbook donated in their name to a library in Africa through a partnership with Book Aid International.
In addition users in the first month will have the chance to win a year's worth of university books, worth over £1,000.
David Rosenberg, business development manager at Foursquare, said: 'Foursquare exists to help our users make the most of where they are, including finding inspirational places to study and learn. The Pearson app has neatly integrated our technology to make this a simple and easy to use process on any device.'
Tom Glover, senior vice president for strategic communications at Pearson said: 'The current list shows that better places to study can be found in the least likely places, from parks, cafes or even castles. The challenge lies in finding these hidden gems, wherever they may be in the world and we're hoping that the global learning community will enjoy helping contribute to this list of landmarks by adding their own favourites.'
Book Aid International director Alison Hubert commented: 'Pearson is one of Book Aid International's strongest supporters. We are delighted that the evolution of Pearson's community app will connect students around the world through book donations and the love of learning. We know from our work with libraries in under-resourced communities in Africa that Inspired Locations of Learning evolve in unexpected places and sometimes under the most challenging circumstances imaginable, such as in slums, refugee camps or prisons.'
The app works on any computer, as well as on iOS or Android devices, and is available for free on the Pearson website.
